Final answer:
Indigenous men and other minority groups such as African Americans enlisted in the First World War to gain citizenship, wider acceptance, and to hope for societal change. While contributing to the war effort, they faced significant challenges due to racial segregation and discriminatory policies. Despite these adversities, their service marked an important step towards altering the cultural and social landscape of the era.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indigenous men enlisted in the First World War, in part, to gain recognition and citizenship rights within the United States. By volunteering for military service, over eleven thousand Native Americans sought broader societal acceptance and the formal status of U.S. citizens, which was eventually granted to them in 1924. It's also noteworthy that Native American troops, while serving in 'white' battalions, often faced the most perilous assignments, leading to a mortality rate that was more than double the average for the military as a whole.
African Americans, another minority group, enlisted with the hope that their contributions would pave the way towards a more egalitarian society post-war. Despite being relegated to segregated units and restricted roles by the War Department policy, they aspired to demonstrate their loyalty and change perceptions through valor in combat, which for many included a unique experience of equality and acceptance while serving in France.
These actions taken by minority groups during the First World War reflect a broader theme that the war served as a platform for social change, impacting not just military structure but civilian life. Native Americans and African Americans, through their service, contributed to reshaping the cultural dynamics of the time, even if the changes they longed for were slow to materialize.